Cops: 4 used bogus prescriptions to get 16,000 oxycodone pills

Four Delaware County residents are facing charges of fraudulently obtaining nearly 17,000 Oxycodone pills from area pharmacies.

UPPER DARBY -- Four persons were arrested for allegedly using fraudulent prescriptions to obtain almost 17,000 Oxycodone pills.

Special Narcotic Agent Christian Staunton, of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office, initiated an investigation in October after receiving information from the Camden County Prosecutor's office in New Jersey regarding five fraudulent prescriptions passed allegedly prescribed by a Philadelphia doctor.

"Two individuals by the last name Peletsky were getting frequent prescriptions," Staunton wrote in the affidavit, noting one of the two, Carol Peletsky, previously was employed by the Philadelphia physician and had access to prescription pads while employed at his office.

Carol Peletsky, 21, of the 700 block of Windermere Avenue, Drexel Hill, James Devuono, 35, of the 100 block of West Madison Avenue, Clifton Heights, and the 700 block of Windermere Avenue, Drexel Hill, and Edward Taylor, 46, of the 600 block of Andrews Avenue, Collingdale, were arrested last week and are scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday in district court.

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Kelly Peletsky, 37, Carol's cousin, of the 200 block of Lafayette Avenue, Collingdale, surrendered and was arraigned Tuesday for her alleged involvement in the prescription scam.

According to the affidavit, Carol Peletsky is facing 149 counts of drug dealing, drug possession, conspiracy and related offenses, Kelly Peletsky is facing 33 counts of drug dealing, drug possession, conspiracy and related offenses, and likewise Devuono for 79 counts and Taylor for five counts each in the scam.

The foursome used a variety of pharmacies in the area multiple times including: Rios Pharmacy in Morton; Westbrook Park Pharmacy in Clifton Heights; Rite Aid Pharmacy in Drexel Hill; Wal-Marts in Eddystone, Boothwyn, Glenolden and Springfield; CVS Pharmacies in Drexel Hill and Glenolden; Walgreens in Glenolden; and Public Drug Store in Darby. The group collected a total of 16,693 Oxycodone pills.

"All of the prescriptions appear to be in the same handwriting," Staunton wrote in the affidavit, identifying Carol Peletsky as the writer. "She has access due to her prior employment and is knowledgeable in the manner in which prescriptions are written. Your affiant believes Carol Peletsky is writing the prescriptions of the other individuals to pass at the pharmacies.

"It is my belief that Carol Peletsky, Kelly Peletsky, James Devuono and Edward Taylor are and have been involved in the ongoing criminal diversion of schedule II substances, specifically Oxycodone. It is my belief that the Peletskys and Devuono have been involved in the manufacturing and passing of fraudulent prescriptions since January 2011 and Taylor getting involved more recently."